


Vampires and Dragons and Fairies, Oh My!

by canthelpmyselves



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Bonding, Fae & Fairies, M/M, Magic, Mpreg, Supernatural Elements, Vampires, jealous!Len
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-08-20
Packaged: 2020-01-15 08:29:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 18,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18495199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canthelpmyselves/pseuds/canthelpmyselves
Summary: Vampire Alpha Leonard Snart hates the idea of bonding to some weak, needy little Omega. Spirited, sassy Fae Omega Barry refuses to submit to any Alpha. When their paths cross, sparks fly.





	1. MeetCute

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally a one-shot from my Meeting Again and Again collection, but recently inspiration hit and I've expanded on it. I'm reposting the original story as the first chapter but the second chapter is brand new. I really hope it doesn't disappoint everyone who asked for a continuation.

As the vampire Alpha of the Rogues, Central City’s most powerful coven of supernatural creatures, Leonard Snart was used to making the rules (and breaking them when it suited him) and doing things his own way. He rarely followed tradition, choosing instead to forge his own path. Most covens were species-specific. The Santinis, for example, were all demons. The Zataras were all witches. The Rogues, on the other hand, were a conglomerate of all types. Vampire, dragon, were, human. Snart wasn’t particular about species as long as they obeyed his rules and contributed. 

Still, there were some traditions that even an Alpha had to follow, or risk mutiny. Like bonding to an Omega. 

***

Leonard slumped down in his seat and glowered at everyone around him. Lisa, his sister, merely rolled her eyes at him as she scanned the room. A Beta, she never had to worry about being forced into a bond, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t open to the idea. Mick was a dragon, a species that did not have alpha/beta/omega dynamics, so he became bored mere minutes after arriving.

“I hate these assemblies,” Leonard growled, his fangs peeking out from beneath his upper lip. He wasn’t hungry, merely annoyed. Omega Assemblies were little more than meat markets, in his opinion. Often hosted by wealthy entrepreneurs, the tickets to the events were outrageously expensive. However, it was the only way most ever got to meet an Omega. Omegas were rare, only making up about 10% of the population, whereas 25-30% were Alphas. 5% were like Mick, with no dynamic and the rest were Betas. Most Alphas had to settle for a Beta to bond with.

Leonard wasn’t looking forward to bonding. He had little patience with weakness, and Omegas were definitely weak. However, vampires had a particular quirk, in that, the older they got, the more deadly and violent they got. A bond with an Omega would balance them out. Something in the chemical makeup of an Omega grounded an Alpha, and that was never more necessary than with vampires. Some managed to find balance with a Beta, but only if the Beta was on the lowest end of the power scale.

“Too bad,” Lisa replied. “You’re almost 400 years old. If you don’t bond soon, there will be trouble. You know, as well as I do, that some people are starting to get worried. Unbonded Alpha vampires tend to go feral around the fifth century.”

“Which leaves me with 108 more years to forge a bond,” he pointed out petulantly. The last thing he wanted was a whining, simpering Omega who would expect him to cater to her every whim and treat her like porcelain.

“It won’t kill you to start looking now, brother,” she pointed out. “I’m not saying you have to jump at the first Omega you find, but these assemblies are a good way to get a look at what’s out there. Omegas willing to bond with a vampire Alpha aren’t that easy to find, you know. Most prefer someone who won’t view them as a meal.”

Leonard snorted and was about to reach for his glass of blood when the most enticing scent hit his nostrils. Instantly he was aroused and intrigued. For the first time in 200 years, he felt something akin to excitement rush through him. He was on his feet without conscious thought, his ice blue eyes scanning the room quickly. He drew in a lungful of air and let it out slowly. The scent was coming from behind him! 

Lisa asked him something, but his entire being was focused on that aroma. He spun around and studied each face. None stood out as particularly interesting and the scent was fading, as if his prey was moving away from him. He moved through the sea of bodies, letting his senses guide him. The scent reminded him of how the air smelled right before a winter storm in the mountains. Like electricity and fresh earth. Ahead of him he caught sight of three figures moving toward a balcony. One was dressed in a white suit and had shoulder length blonde hair, one wore a black jacket and had long auburn curls and one was a short-haired brunette, but the view of her was almost completely blocked by the other two. He knew Lisa and Mick were right behind him, so he was able to relax his guard and focus more on the scent he was following. Not a vampire. Not a were. He could smell magic, but it was different, sweeter, than that of the witches and warlocks he knew. The balcony doors opened and a breeze brought him a deeper, richer taste of the enticing scent. It called to him, to his undead heart. His body hardened and his fangs fully extended. One of them was an Omega. Not just any Omega, but **his** Omega. 

He remembered his sire telling him about Intendeds. It was rare, almost a forgotten legend, now. Intendeds were soulmates for vampires. Someone who balanced them perfectly. They were the light to the darkness in a vampire. They could sooth their mate even if he or she was in the fiercest of bloodlusts. The first indicator of an Intended was that they would smell like the vampire’s oldest memory. Another indicator was sharing sensations, where one could feel what the other felt. They would dream walk with one another, where one would enter the other’s dreams and it would be as real as any other experience. Once bonded, their minds and souls would intertwine, connecting them on a metaphysical level. Even if separated by oceans, they would be able to communicate mentally, feel as if they were side-by-side with their mate.

Leonard reached the balcony doors and looked at the three people briefly before zeroing in on the one in the middle. Leonard was startled to discover the Omega was a male. When was the last time he had heard of a male Omega being born? The younger man had hair the color of fertile earth, large hazel eyes, alabaster skin, lush scarlet lips and a lithe, willowy form encased in a gray three-button vest that bared his arms and upper chest, tight leather pants and what looked like ballet shoes. Strangely enough, the ensemble worked for him and he was incredibly sexy. Leonard closed his eyes briefly as he inhaled again. 

“Mine,” he growled, opening his eyes and staring straight at the young man watching him.

An enticing blush crept up the man’s neck and down his chest, but his eyes held amusement. “Doubtful,” he responded. 

Leonard smirked and stepped further onto the balcony. The two women immediately shifted their positions, shielding his Omega. 

“Stand down, dead guy,” the blonde ordered, pulling a silver knife from her pocket.

Leonard hissed, but his eyes remained locked on the Omega. “I am Leonard Snart, Alpha of the Rogues. Tell me your name, so I may know who I am bonding with.”

Lisa and Mick were suddenly by his sides, holding tight to his arms. Leonard growled at them, even as he continued to stare at the young man. The woman in black quickly pulled two guns, one aimed at his sister and the other at his second. The young man tilted his head and stared at Leonard.

“What makes you think I am an Omega?” he asked curiously. 

Leonard licked his left fang hungrily. “You smell like a storm high in the mountains where I was raised.”

“You can smell me?” the Omega asked surprise.

“Of course,” Leonard answered, dragging Lisa and Mick forward a step. 

“Brother, he’s a Beta,” Lisa said warily.

Mick nodded, eyeing the women with suspicion. “Boss, he ain’t got a scent.”

Leonard shook his head. He drew in air and let it out slowly. “I can taste it on my tongue.” He opened his eyes, now glowing red. “Fuck, I want you,” he whispered heatedly. 

The two women crowded closer together, pinning the young man behind them. Leonard was going to tear the female Betas apart if they didn’t quit touching his Omega! He growled at them fiercely, struggling against the hold Lisa and Mick had on him. 

The young man placed his hands on the women’s shoulders and moved them away from him, his eyes searching Leonard’s carefully. When Leonard’s growls eased, he shook his head and laughed. The sound traveled down Leonard’s spine making him shiver with anticipation. 

“I am not about to submit to the first Alpha who growls at me,” the man chided with humor. “I am no weakling, Snart. My throat must be earned.”

Leonard licked his lips and dragged his eyes down the young man’s form again. “You expect to make demands of your Alpha?” he asked, amused. Some Omegas liked to play games, thinking it made them more appealing. This one was no different, it seemed.

The Omega threw his head back and laughed without restraint for several seconds. When he calmed, he wiped tears from his face with a handkerchief and looked at Leonard. The Alpha froze as the hazel eyes flickered with sparks of lightning. “I’m a very demanding Omega, my lord. I cannot be tamed. I cannot be ruled. I am a storm, free and wild. If you want a simpering pet, you’ll find plenty inside. Good evening.”

Before Leonard could even blink the young man placed his hands on the women’s shoulders and they all vanished. Lisa’s grip on his arm disappeared as she spun in a circle. Mick immediately crouched, preparing for an attack. Leonard slowly walked over to the railing of the balcony. His enhanced eyesight could barely make out the golden lightning trail that led toward the city.

“What the fucking hell was that?” Mick demanded.

“Fae,” Leonard whispered.

Lisa looked at him with shock. “Impossible! The Fae died out centuries ago!”

Leonard drew in another breath, savoring the lingering scent of his Omega. “Nonetheless, he is Fae. And an Omega. My Intended Omega.”

Lisa sighed heavily, knowing her brother well. “You couldn’t pick some quiet little Omega? Maybe one that knits or gardens?”

Leonard snorted, noticing the handkerchief on the ground thirty feet below. He vaulted over the railing, landed easily and picked it up. It was delicate and thin, with little embroidered lightning bolts in each corner. He folded it carefully and slid it into his pocket. He had the young man’s scent. There was nowhere in Central he could hide from Leonard.


	2. Conversations and Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Len searches for his Omega but Barry isn't making it easy for him.

Shawna jumped as a door slammed somewhere in the house. A minute later the kitchen door swung open and her boyfriend, Mick, walked in, looking annoyed. She dried her hands on a towel and hugged him close for a moment. “No luck?” she asked.

Mick snorted. He still smelled of smoke and ash, having recently shifted back from his dragon form. “Nope. According to Snart, the kid’s scent is all over the lower end of Queen’s territory. The rest of us can’t smell a thing.”

“Could he be part of Queen’s harem?” she asked warily. Queen was well known for his harem. An Alpha werewolf, he had several mates who had provided him with pups.

“Doubtful,” Mick grumbled. “He could smell the kid strongest over a five block area, but the scent rarely left it and there wasn’t a trace of it at Queen’s mansion. Queen’s scent was around the fairy’s area, but it was days old. He’s going to try and place spies around to locate the Omega.”

Shawna sighed and went back to preparing the herbs she used in medicines. “To think that there is an actual Fae so close,” she remarked. “I wonder if he’s a healer? I read about Fae healers in history class.”

Mick shrugged as he grabbed some food from the fridge. “Don’t know. He’s got the boss all twisted around, though. Never seen Snart so enthralled. He’s practically foaming at the mouth for this Omega.”

Shawna glanced at him worriedly. “What will happen if someone else claims the Omega?”

Mick hesitated a moment. “War,” he answered. “He would kill anyone who touches the fairy.”

* * *

Lisa watched Leonard paced back and forth for several minutes before clearing her throat. “You’re acting like a newborn!” she snapped.

Leonard shot her a glare, but kept pacing. He had no patience for her snark tonight. For eleven days he had been searching for his Omega. He had tracked him as far as a small section of Queen’s territory, but no closer. It was almost as if the fairy was taunting him! That heady, seductive scent was all over the streets and buildings. There was no pattern to it that he could see. A bakery, a day care, a garage, even a women’s shelter. He took some comfort from the fact that his Omega still smelled unsullied by any other scents.

Lisa rolled her eyes as she stood and grabbed a bottle of blood from the small fridge under the desk. She drank it quickly before tossing the bottle away. “You are obsessed with this hunt. Going into Queen’s territory, uninvited, is asking for trouble!”

“Queen is a shallow playboy,” Leonard scoffed. “The only reason no one tries to take his territory is because he is no threat to anyone.”

Lisa tossed her hair back and headed for the door. “Obsession is not a good look on you, brother.”

As soon as the door closed behind her, Leonard threw himself down on a chair. He knew she was right. Many vampires had found themselves at the business end of a stake or beheading by becoming obsessed with someone or something. They became distracted. Weakened. That was something he could not afford. But the thought of never claiming his Omega, of someone else having what was meant for him, made his undead heart twist painfully. Leonard closed his eyes and tried to calm his mind. He needed to think, to plan. He would find his Omega and claim him. Then he would be focused again. Leonard was brought out of his thoughts when his phone buzzed. He pulled it out and looked at the screen, but the number was blocked. He thought about ignoring it in favor of trying to focus more, but decided to answer in case it was important.

“Hello?”

“Good evening, Alpha Snart.”

Leonard sat up straight, his body tightening immediately upon hearing the familiar voice. “Omega,” he whispered.

“I prefer Barry,” the voice teased.

Leonard growled softly, but not even he was sure whether it was a warning or encouragement. “How did you get my number?” he asked.

“Would you rather I hang up?”

“No!” He stood quickly, his hand clenching tightly around the phone. 

Barry laughed softly. “I wished for it and it came to me,” he answered. “I felt how angry you are,” Barry said simply. “And you were paler than a vampire should be. What’s wrong?”

“You saw me? Where were you? Why did you not show yourself?” he demanded.

“Why were you searching another Alpha’s territory?”

“Because my Omega is playing games with me,” he growled.

Barry sighed, but this time it sounded more tired than amused. “I am not yours, Alpha Snart. I am no one’s.”

“You will be,” Leonard purred. “I will give you everything you ever wanted. Grant every wish you ever have. You will want for nothing as mine.”

“What about freedom?” Barry asked softly. “Will I have freedom?”

“As much as possible,” Leonard replied cautiously. 

Barry made a chiding sound. “Bonded to a possessive vampire? I am not stupid, Alpha Snart. I didn’t spend two hundred years fighting tooth and nail to gain my freedom, only to throw it away so quickly.”

Leonard frowned, surprised by that. “How old are you?” he asked.

“In Fae years or human?” Barry asked.

“Both.”

“As Fae I am still considered a young man, the equivalent of a twenty-five year old human. We age much slower than most other species.”

“And in actual years?” he pressed.

“650 human years have passed since my birth, give or take a few decades,” Barry said. “It’s hard to tell. Time passes much differently in the Summerlands. Weeks will pass there while you blink here.”

“I thought the Summerlands was the Fae afterlife,” Leonard said, sitting back down as his curiosity took over.

“It is outside your reality,” Barry told him. “Sort of another dimension. I was born there. Until recently I have never lived anywhere else.” Barry gave a tiny chuckle. “It has been quite an experience adjusting to this world.”

“Oh?” Leonard smiled. “Give me an example.”

“Coffee,” Barry said immediately. “We do not have coffee there. Have you tried it? It is wonderful! So bitter, yet so delicious! Sara says I should not drink so much of it, but it is hard to resist. Oh, and dancing! Dancing is a duty in the Summerlands. We do not touch and it is much slower. There are dances for the harvests or for healing or for procreating. Here I can dance simply for the joy of dancing. And I never lack for company! They even let me touch them!”

Leonard’s fangs snapped down in anger. Someone was touching his Omega?!

“Leonard? Len?”

He closed his eyes tight and forced himself to speak calmly. Heat unfurled inside him at the dropping of his title and the shortened name. “Yes, Barry?”

“I felt you growl, Len. Did I say something wrong?”

“No,” he said quickly. He paused and dragged a hand down his face. “What else do you like?”

Barry was silent for a moment. “You are angry.”

Leonard hesitated before deciding to be honest. “I am jealous. I want to dance with you.”

“Because I’m an Omega Fae,” Barry mumbled.

“Because you are you,” Leonard corrected. “I may have noticed you because of your scent, but I want you because you are gorgeous.” There was a sharp intake of breath on the other side of the line. Leonard smirked as he detected heavier breathing. His Omega was pleased.

“I have to go,” Barry said suddenly. “Please eat… or drink… or, or whatever you call it.”

“Wait!” Leonard demanded. 

There was a pause before Barry sighed. “Yes?”

“Have dinner with me,” Leonard said. “Tomorrow night.”

“I don’t think that would be a good idea,” Barry said. 

“We can go out,” Leonard suggested, adding a bit of huskiness to his voice. “A nice meal, some conversation. I would love to see your beautiful eyes again. Perfectly innocent, I promise.” He could feel amusement and a hint of desire. He was elated to realize he was actually feeling his Intended’s emotions.

Barry snorted loudly. “I doubt you were ever innocent, Len.”

“I will meet you at Saints and Sinners at 8pm,” Leonard said. “It is right on the edge of my territory.”

“Len...”

“Please,” Leonard interrupted. “Allow us this opportunity to get to know one another.”

“That is not a good idea,” Barry insisted. “Vampires and Fae are natural enemies, Len. You should know this.”

“Not my enemy,” Len said firmly. “You are my Intended. You should know the signs of a fated match as well as I do. You have hidden you scent, but I can still smell you. You smell like my fondest memory. Tell me you do not feel the connection. You said you _felt_ me become angry.”

Another soft sigh came across the speaker. “Just because the signs are there does not mean we are slaves to it,” Barry argued. “I have no desire to bond. It is not personal. I am not rejecting you, but the idea of servitude. I have tasted freedom and do not wish to give it up until I am forced to.”

“You think I would shackle you?” he asked gently.

“I think it is your nature to possess,” Barry answered. “You are an Alpha Vampire. I would never be allowed the freedom I have now. You’re very nature would rage against it. Would you allow me to dance as I wish? To roam the busy streets and meet new people? To travel wherever I desire?”

Len considered the questions carefully and answered honestly. “You could dance with me. I would roam the streets beside you. Take you wherever you wished to go.”

“I would be a prisoner, Len. I have lived that life already. I will hate having to do it again,” Barry whispered, his voice pained.

The line disconnected and Leonard slumped back in his chair. Barry had contacted him. He tried not to dwell on the negatives of the conversation. Barry had been worried about him. That proved the Omega cared, right? He just had to win him over.

* * *

_Len knew this place. He had never set foot in it, since it was in a rival’s territory as well as being fairly pedantic, but he knew the name, Vertigo. He moved through the low-lit room until he reached the bar. A familiar figure was sitting atop it, one leg crossed over the other. Tonight he wore some sort of stretchy thin gray tights and a black t-shirt with the words ‘Talk Shit, Get Bit’ over an image of the Count from Sesame Street. His feet were bare and his lips were scarlet red._

_“Barry,” he purred._

_The Fae smiled slightly, but his eyes were wary. “Is this your dream or mine?” he asked. Len looked at the shirt again with a raised eyebrow. Barry gave a soft laugh and nodded. “Mine, then.”_

_Len slid onto the bar stool in front of Barry and placed his hands on either side of his hips. “Yet another sign,” he pointed out._

_Barry stared at him silently for a long moment before uncrossing his legs and slipping from the bar onto Len’s lap. Len could swear his heart actually gave a beat. He gripped Barry’s hips to hold him in place._

_“It’s just a dream,” Barry said softly. “Not real life.”_

_Len leaned forward to nuzzle Barry’s long neck, pressing the occasional kiss to the warm skin. “Feels real to me,” he whispered._

_Barry’s arms wrapped around his shoulders and he sighed sadly. “Dream me has no restraint,” he pouted._

_Len chuckled and pulled back to look the young man in the eyes. “Now if only I could convince awake you.”_

_Barry rolled his eyes before pressing his lips to Len’s._


	3. Face To Face

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Len finally tracks Barry down for a talk in person.

Leonard walked into the club he dreamed of finding Barry in and looked around carefully. He could smell his Omega was inside, somewhere. He wasn’t surprised to see the blonde who had been with Barry at the assembly sitting in a corner booth. She sneered at him as she pulled out a phone and sent off a text. He assumed she was alerting her partner to his arrival. Lisa stepped away from him and walked confidently over to the booth and sat down across from the blonde.

“Do not be concerned. I told Sara that if she hurts you or yours I would make her take a cooking class.”

Leonard turned as Barry approached, pushing a phone into his pocket. Leonard now knew who she had warned. Tonight he wore a red dress shirt and gray slacks. The shirt was half unbuttoned, showing a delectable expanse of pale skin. He was also wearing black stiletto heels with a silver bow in the back, which was definitely making Leonard’s cold blood heat up. Leonard noticed several freckles and wondered how many more Barry possessed. “A cooking class?” he asked.

Barry smiled brightly. “She hates being domestic. She would rather cut out her own tongue than say the word quiche.”

Leonard couldn’t resist smiling back at the Fae. “A warrior, through and through.”

Barry leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “She once attacked her own pillows in her sleep.”

Leonard shook his head, amused. “Where is your other guard?”

Barry straightened and shrugged. “Probably asleep. I only brought Sara with me tonight.”

Leonard moved a little closer to Barry. “May I buy you a drink?”

“Is it wise to drink with someone you are trying to avoid?”

“If you really wanted to avoid me, you would have slipped out the back,” Leonard pointed out smugly.

Barry laughed softly, the sound sending delicious shivers up and down Leonard’s spine. He tilted his head as he stared at Leonard. “You are a stubborn Alpha, Len. You’ve almost caught me three times in the last week. I decided the smart thing to do was find out why you keep trying after explaining we would not deal well together.”

“Because I think you have not considered all the aspects involved,” Len replied. “There are benefits to bonding with me.”

The look Barry gave him was skeptical, but with a hint of curiosity. Len smiled and held out an elbow. Barry sighed and slipped his hand through and let Len lead him to a booth on the other side of the room. He slid into one side and Len took a seat across from him. A waitress walked over immediately. Len order a blood for himself and a pale ale for Barry.

“I hope you aren’t offended that I ordered for you,” Len said warily. “I am accustomed to doing so for my sister. It is habit.”

Barry shrugged and placed his forearms on the table, one atop the other. “To be honest, I do not offend easily. As long as you don’t try something outrageous, like jump across the table and attack me.”

“I thought the Fae were sensitive creatures,” Leonard said, doing his best to push aside the visions of Barry sprawled beneath him.

“Oh, they are,” Barry smiled. “I have seen nymphs faint simply because someone whistled loudly.” Barry leaned forward a little, as if sharing a secret. “It’s quite hysterical to watch, I assure you.”

Leonard grinned, fangs peeking out, as he studied Barry. “Why do I get the feeling you are a guilty party?”

Barry smiled widely. “Can you be called a guilty party if you felt no guilt for the action?”

A shadow fell over the booth and they both looked up at the woman eyeing Leonard. “Good evening, Alpha Snart. Looking for company?”

Len glared at her firmly. “No.”

The woman pouted and leaned a little closer, showing off the bite scar on her throat. “A meal, then?”

Len’s eyes flashed dangerously. “Leave.” The woman tensed at the anger in his voice and quickly left without another word.

“You did not have to turn away your maiden,” Barry said calmly. 

“She is not mine,” Leonard denied.

“She has your mark,” Barry pointed out, lightly touching his own neck. “Does that not make her yours?”

Leonard paused as he tried to word it in a way that would not repulse his Omega. “I am a vampire. I usually drink blood from bottles. On occasion, I drink from a willing donor. However, I do not sleep with my donors. She has no claim on me, nor I on her.”

Barry frowned slightly as he thought about that. “I still have a great deal to learn,” he sighed. “Relationships are quite convoluted.”

“They can be,” Leonard agreed honestly. “It has been a while since I equated feeding with intimacy.”

“I thought sex and feeding went hand-in-hand. Everything I've read insinuated as much,” Barry said, looking confused.

“It does for the younger ones,” Len admitted. “I have more control than most. Since meeting you I have not had the urge to feed from anyone. Nor do I wish to bed anyone but my sweet Omega.”

Barry rolled his eyes even as a pleased blush spread across his cheeks. “I am not yours,” he replied.

The waitress returned and set their drinks on the table. “Would you like anything else?” she asked politely.

Barry hmm’d and quickly glanced at the plastic coated menu. “French fries, please. I’m not sure what else I would enjoy..”

“Try a BBQ burger,” Leonard suggested, glancing at the menu. When Barry looked at him questioningly, he shrugged. “You may like it. Mick swears burgers are the premiere food.”

Barry nodded and tucked away the menu as the waitress left. “How did a dragon end up in a coven of vampires?”

“My coven is not typical,” Leonard answered. “More than half are vampires, but I also have dragons, witches, shifters, humans and even a poltergeist.”

Barry’s eyes widened. “A true poltergeist? Really? Can I meet him or her? Do they play tricks? Do they sleep? What about food? Do they eat? Where does he or she live?”

Leonard held up a hand to ward off more questions. “His name is Axel and he’s bound to one of my warehouses. He’s quite the trickster, but I can introduce you if you want.” Leonard loved the way Barry’s eyes lit up with excitement. Tiny sparks flickered across the irises briefly. It made Len's body tighten with the desire. 

“I’ve read about them, but never had the chance to meet one,” Barry sighed dreamily. “I met a couple of witches and a shifter before I moved to Central. And Oliver has introduced me to a few weres and a harpy. She wasn’t so pleasant,” he grimaced. “She offered me a car for one of my eyes. I have no need for a car, and I’m fairly certain I want to keep both of my eyes.”

“Good. Your eyes are too lovely to give away,” Len smiled. He shivered when he felt Barry’s pleasure at the compliment.

“You are entirely too smooth,” Barry pouted. “I doubt even Oliver could be that smooth.”

Leonard tensed slightly as he sipped his drink. “Do you often deal with the leader of the territory you live in?” he asked.

Barry nodded as he lifted his drink and took a sip. “That was one of the compromises of my residency.”

“Compromises?” Leonard questioned.

Barry shrugged. “My king was reluctant to let me leave the Summerlands, for various reasons. He thought it best to link me to a leader. He chose Oliver because Oliver’s great, great, great, great...” Barry paused and quickly counted on his fingers, “great, great grandmother had been one of his lovers. As you know, I am reluctant to become beholden to anyone, so I worked out a deal with Oliver. I allow him to show me off, and give the impression I am one of his underlings and he allows me to live in his realm unfettered.”

“People think you are part of his harem?” Leonard growled.

Barry shook his head with amusement. “Goddess, no! We tell others I am an oracle. They can tell I have magic, so none have questioned it. I read a few fortunes and give a little advice. It's worked out, so far. I could never pretend to be someone’s lover. I am no good at lying. Diana says I am hopelessly honest. I’m not sure that’s a bad thing.”

“Who is Diana?” he asked, doing his best to stifle any jealousy at the fondness with which Barry said the woman’s name.

Barry tilted his head as he stared at Leonard. “You are angered.”

Leonard shook his head. “I am not angry. Merely…” Leonard sighed softly. “I want you, Barry. You are beautiful, entertaining and sexy.” More ripples of pleasure from Barry. Len loved how he reacted to being complimented. He made a mental note to do so more often. “You smell incredible, like my favorite memory. We have shared emotions and dreams. I want nothing more than to take you to my bed and cover you with my scent. It is my nature to be possessive. I am jealous of anyone who gets to be around you, when I am denied the right to call you mine.”

Barry frowned as he thought about that. “I make this difficult for you.”

“For centuries I have existed,” Leonard said carefully. “I have cared for my people as a ruler must, but I have never been emotionally attached to them. Lisa and Mick have my affection, but it is a shallow feeling compared to the way I feel about you. From the moment I laid eyes on you, I have felt alive. Your scent caught my attention, but it is your eyes that hold it. The life I see in them. The intelligence, the curiosity, the emotions. You said your throat must be earned,” he reminded him. “I will do everything in my power to do so. All I ask is that you give me an honest chance. Spend time with me. Understand that, though I may have bouts of jealousy or anger, it is only because I desire you so very much. I will never harm you. I will never betray you. I will protect you and help you, but never cage you. And hopefully, someday, you will agree to bond with me.”

Barry stared at him for a long, silent moment. “I would like to spend time with you, Leonard. I can make no promises about the future, but I cannot deny the connection between us.”

The waitress appeared before either could say more. She placed the food in front of Barry and left silently. Barry used his free hand to poke at the messy, dripping burger warily. “Are you sure this is edible?” he asked. 

Leonard chuckled and nodded. “Eat. I will tell you some of Axel’s more amusing pranks.”


	4. We'll Have the Inbetween

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alpha Len receives a gift from Barry.

Leonard watched Barry wander around the garden. He would pause on occasion and lightly touch a tree or flower, speak softly, then move on. To his utter amazement the garden began to respond. Flowers opened, branches shook and butterflies began to approach, even though it was night. After ten minutes, Barry walked back to him, a wide smile on his face. 

“It’s so lovely,” he said happily. “And the plants are very content. Even the wisteria, and they are notoriously grumpy.”

“You can communicate with plants?” Lisa asked.

Barry turned to her and shrugged. “It’s a Fae thing.”

“And the butterflies?” she asked, pointing to the dozen or so fluttering around his head.

Barry grimaced and looked up at them. “Nosy busybodies,” he complained. “As if I need their help,” he said, rolling his eyes.

Leonard glared at the insects. “They think you are in danger?”

Barry blushed. “They’re trying to give me advice,” he mumbled.

“Advice?” Lisa asked.

“On how to please Len,” Barry said after a few seconds hesitation, his blush deepening.

A smirk slowly overtook Leonard’s face. “Really?” he purred. “And what advice have they given you?”

A green and white moth fluttered by Barry’s ear. It flew away after a second, leaving Barry to stare at Leonard curiously. He got a thoughtful look in his eyes as a large red and yellow butterfly landed on his shoulder. It soon flew away, as well. Barry tilted his head as he studied Leonard. “Do you really have a chest full of sexual toys next to your bed?”

Leonard’s jaw dropped and Lisa howled with laughter. 

Barry sat down on a stone bench and looked up at the night sky. “I know most of my kin prefer the Summerlands, but there is something so very beautiful about this world. It is crowded, chaotic, loud and messy, but I find it so appealing.” 

Caitlin looked over at him from the low wall where she and Mick were standing guard. Both looked unimpressed. Barry just grinned widely at them before turning back to Leonard and Lisa. He held out a hand to Lisa, who eyed him cautiously before taking it. Barry drew her down to sit beside him and turned her hand palm up. He hummed softly, cradling her hand in his. A few minutes passed before a small mole crept out from under the bench. Lisa’s mouth hung open as they watched it climb Barry’s pants leg, cross his lap and scurry over his arm to lay down on Lisa’s palm. It nuzzled her skin for a moment before opening it’s mouth and dropping something. Then it scurried away even faster. Barry released Lisa’s hand and turned his eyes back to the sky. Leonard moved closer to see what was laying in the center of his sister’s hand. Lisa gently poked the large stone with her other hand. 

“Is that an emerald?” she asked softly.

Barry shrugged. “I don’t know much about gemstones. I simply asked it to give you a present. A thank you for inviting me into your home and allowing me to wander through your gardens.”

Lisa looked at Barry with awe. “That’s incredible!” she said happily.

Barry looked back at her. “Thank you for your hospitality, Lady Snart.” He stood and brushed off his slacks before turning to Leonard. He hesitated a moment before moving forward and pressing his forehead to the Alpha’s. 

Leonard heard Barry murmur under his breath, but he didn’t understand the strange lyrical words. He felt a surge of heat rush through him and gasped. Barry stepped back and he quickly reached out to stop him from moving too far away. “What was that?”

Barry smiled happily and shrugged. “A blessing,” he answered. “My way of saying thank you for a delightful evening, even if Axel wasn’t very welcoming tonight.”

Leonard smirked and stepped closer. “And what does this blessing do?” he purred.

Barry winked at him and moved away to stand beside his guard. “Have a good day, Len. Lisa, it was a pleasure to spend time with you.” He placed a hand on Caitlin’s shoulder. “Until next time.”

A second later, both Fae had vanished from sight. Mick shuddered as he looked around warily. “I hate that,” he grumbled.

Lisa held up the emerald to the moonlight. “I’m going to have Bivolo set it in a broach.”

Leonard lightly touched his forehead. He was extremely curious what the blessing Barry had given him entailed. The past week had been one thrilling evening after another. Barry was smart, funny and deliciously wicked when he wanted to be. A bond was forming between them whether Barry wanted to admit it or not. Len was certain he would soon be able to call Barry his Omega.

* * *

Len could hear Lisa yelling from the dark hallway. He could feel Mick’s hands on his arms, trying to draw him away from the balcony. He ignored them both, planting his feet firmly as he stared out at the magnificent garden below. The sun shone brightly off the jewel-toned flowers. The water of the koi pond seemed to sparkle like diamonds. Len closed his eyes and tilted his head up to the sky. He was feeling the warmth of the sun on his undead skin for the first time in 392 years. 

“I forgot how bright it is,” he whispered. His throat tightened and he had to swallow twice to clear it. He turned to look at Lisa who was standing in the darkest shadow of the room, bloody tears streaking her makeup. “I can stand in the light and not burn.”

Len laughed softly as he turned back to the garden below. He never expected this. “My Omega gave me the sun, Lisa.”

_Len had gone to bed not long after Barry left. He had laid on the velvety bed covers and replayed every moment of their encounter, trying to decipher every word said, every glance given. It wasn’t long before he had become aroused, thinking of Barry’s long fingers and seductive eyes. He ended up using a couple of toys from his trunk to relieve himself, all while thinking of his beautiful Omega._

_Usually he awoke as the sun began to set, but today when he rose, he could hear strange sounds coming through his blackened balcony doors. Annoyed by the noises, he had walked over and opened them without thinking. He had been shocked senseless by the sight of full daylight. Even more astonishing, was the fact that his body did not instinctively try to speed him from the danger._

_How long he stood there, staring at the rising sun, he did not know. He never even noticed the screams from the others below. He did not hear the pounding on the door or the shattering of the bolt. It took Lisa fearfully screaming his name to make him aware of his surroundings._

“Lenny?” Lisa whispered tearfully, staring in awe as he soaked in the rising sun’s warmth. “This is his blessing?”

He turned back to her and smiled joyously. “No, Lisa. This is a gift. Our bond will be my blessing.”

Len’s phone rang and he quickly pulled it out. He smirked when he saw it was a familiar number. He swiped the green circle and put the phone to his ear. “Barry, you do realize that Lisa and Mick are quite upset you did not warn them, don’t you? They almost had heart attacks seeing me in the sunlight.”

Barry snickered with amusement. “I could not resist,” he admitted. “I take it you like your blessing?”

Len bit back a repeat of what he had said to Lisa. It would only make Barry more stubborn if he thought Len was already claiming him, even if only verbally. “I am standing on my balcony, feeling the rays of the sun for the first time in almost four centuries. Yes, Barry, I like this. How long will it last?”

“Only until sunset, I am afraid,” Barry answered. “How do you plan on spending your day?”

Len hesitated for only a moment. “I would prefer to spend it with you,” he purred.

A sudden whoosh of air and flying sparks made Mick and Lisa both jump. Len chuckled and put away his phone as he tilted his head to the side and stared at the young Fae who had left him only a few hours ago. Barry smiled widely as he bounced lightly on his feet.

“What would you like to do?” he asked.

Len took in the light gray leggings, white vest and red gingham ankle boots with small heels and was forced to bite back a lusty groan. Several exciting activities flashed through his head but he knew better than to suggest them. “How about a walk, first?” he settled on. 

Barry smiled and wrapped his left arm around Len’s right one. “That sounds wonderful.”

Len smirked and gave Lisa and Mick winks before suddenly pulling Barry around to face him and leaping backwards off the balcony. Barry gave a high pitched squeal of delight as they landed on the path below. Len chuckled and let Barry move back to his side. He placed his hand over Barry’s forearm, where it was still wrapped around his elbow. He began walking along the path, his pretty Omega by his side. 

Len was absolutely delighted by the shock and awe in his servant’s faces. He especially loved the excitement and eagerness in Barry’s. “It has been so long since I last felt the sun,” he said softly.

Barry smiled at him. “I cannot imagine living without it. For the Fae, the sun is life.”

Len looked at him carefully. “You mean that literally,” he guessed. 

Barry nodded as he reached out to brush his hand over a tree trunk. “Without the sun, the inner spark that gives us our magic would fade and die, our bodies wasting away. It nourishes us. Strengthens us. Gives us our life.” Barry sighed softly and turned to look at Len. “Why do you think our two races spent so many centuries in conflict? Vampires need the darkness. Fae need the light. Neither can be happy if forced to live solely in the other’s world.”

Len felt a cold chill creep down his spine and for a moment he felt utterly helpless against the reality of who they were. Then his arrogance and determination kicked in and he snorted loudly. “I refuse to live my undead existence confined by the rules and expectations of others, Scarlet. You need the sun, so you shall have it. I need the moon, and I shall have it. And in between, we shall have each other. Do not give up on us before we have even begun.”


	5. Obligations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry explains why he will not, cannot, bond with Len.

“Why did you want to leave the Summerlands?” Len asked as they skirted the pond. 

Barry’s grip on Len’s arm tightened slightly, a shadow crossing his eyes. “The Summerlands was no longer a place of peace for me,” he answered, his voice fragile. He sighed softly and waved to a bench. “My story is… complicated. May we sit?”

Len sat, his body angled toward Barry who faced ahead, eyes turning a darker green. He clenched his jaw shut to keep his fangs from bursting forth when he felt the waves of sadness his Omega was feeling.

“How much do you know about the Fae?” 

Len shrugged carefully so as not to dislodge the butterflies and bees that had been gathering around them as they walked. “Only what you could find in our history books. It has been over a millennia since the last Fae walked the world.”

“Oh, we’ve been around,” Barry corrected. “We just kept our visits brief and cloaked our true selves. Still, it has been almost 1000 of your years since we dwelled here in high numbers. After we lost the War, we retreated to our lands and hid ourselves away. So many of us lost in battle, families devastated or obliterated. What was once a vast race was reduced to mere thousands. 

Some, like the Brownies, were just gone. With only a handful left, they chose to wither. Some, like the banshees and gnomes, chose seclusion. They claimed far corners of the realm and never leave them. They live on, but they do not interact with other Fae. Fairies, like me, began a systematic repopulation. No longer were we allowed to bond to one another. Those who could bear children were given the duty of doing so as often as they could, with as many as they could.

I have many half-siblings. My mother is, as we speak, carrying my 83rd brother or sister. I do not even know the name of this one’s father. My father has sired over 200 children besides me. Some of them I would not recognize as blood kin if I passed them in a field. Fae children are raised by their mother until the age of Giving. This is usually around our thirtieth birthday. They are sent to live with others their age, guided and taught by the Elders.”

Len frowned as he thought on that. “You said you are still considered a very young man even at 650. A 30 year old is a still a babe, is it not?”

“Yes,” Barry nodded. “But it is the age in which we begin our training. Think of it like sending your child to school. You do so at a very early age here, correct?”

“Yes, but we do not abandon them to the school!” Len protested.

“There was a time when we did not, either,” Barry mumbled sadly. “But the law is the law, and our King and Queen are determined to rebuild our race, whatever sacrifices must be made. So, at 30, we enter schools. We are trained and raised by the Elders until the age of Enlightenment, which is when our spark, our essence, actually activates. Then we are sent to wherever we are most useful. Some to the gardens, some to the wineries, some to the hunters and so on.”

“And what was your place?” Len asked, hoping it was some place gentle. His Fae was too beautiful, too tender for violence or hard labor. 

Barry looked down at his hands, his expression bleak. “I am an Omega Lord. The first one born in over 2000 years. The only one alive in all of Fae. I was not sent anywhere. I was… I am...” 

Barry paused, shut his eyes and took a deep breath. “I am promised,” he whispered. “You see, there are many omegas in Fae, but there hasn’t been a true Omega Lord in so long. Omega Lords hold great magic, but only for someone else. My ability is to enhance the power of my bonded. Whatever their ability is, my power will magnify it. I am, essentially, a battery for someone else.”

Len felt as if his heart had begun to beat, only to have it break in the middle of that first pulse. “You said you are promised.”

“If… when I return to the Summerlands, I will be bonded to another Fae.”

“Who?” Len growled.

Barry sighed and shrugged. “I do not know. When I left, King Eiling was still hearing petitions. Most likely to either Lord Eobard or Lord Malcolm, although Lady Laurel had indicated her own interest. They are some of my King’s favored and they all have great resources and power.”

“You don’t even know who you will be forced to bond with?!” Len growled angrily. “That’s… it’s barbaric! And people claim we vampires are cruel!”

“It is the way of my race,” Barry said sadly. He turned to look at Len, expression tired and bleak. “So now you know why I cannot entertain the idea of bonding with you or anyone, Len. I do not have that freedom. My King allowed me to come here so I would not have to listen to the debates and arguments concerning the ownership of my life, especially since it could take years, but once the decision is made and my future mate chosen, I must return to Fae.”

“There has to be some way to stop this,” Len insisted. “You and I both have the signs of an Intended. We sense one another. We feel one another. We are destined, Barry!”

“If I disobey my king, I forfeit my life,” Barry explained. “I have a duty, Len. Just as you have a duty to your coven, I have one to my people.”

Len stared at Barry for a long moment before surging forward and capturing Barry’s lips with his own. Sparks flew across Barry’s lips, tingling Len’s tongue and teeth, but it only enhanced the kiss. Len lifted Barry off the bench and settled him across his lap. Barry’s arms wound around Len’s neck as he returned the kiss.

“Please,” he begged. “If our time together is to be measured briefly, let us enjoy it while we can.”

Barry gave a soft, almost unheard, sob before nodding. “I cannot be your bonded,” he whispered back. “But I am still your Intended.”

“What does that mean for us?” Len demanded.

“I cannot share my blood with you,” Barry explained. He took a deep breath and looked at Len sadly. “I will give you my body if you would have it. You already hold my heart,” he admitted.

Len gasped before crashing their lips together. He stood, still holding Barry to him and began walking quickly back toward the house. He rushed past his people, ignoring the questioning looks they received. He growled when he saw the broken lock on his door. Barry giggled and began pressing open mouthed kisses to Len’s jaw and neck. Len kicked the door shut, tossed Barry onto the bed and then turned to drag the desk in front of the door to keep it closed. When he turned back around, he sucked in an unnecessary breath at the sight before him.

Barry had sped out of his clothes and was reclining on the bed, ankles crossed demurely while he trailed two fingers down the length of his cock. His eyes were half closed and his bottom lip was caught between his teeth. Len took two steps toward the bed but Barry held up his other hand.

“Wait,” he ordered.

Len growled but the sound changed into a deep moan as Barry wrapped his hand around his shaft and Len felt a ghost of the touch on his own hardness. “What was...”

Barry stroked from tip to root and Len’s knees shook as the sensation got stronger. His other hand drifted up his chest to tease a nipple and Len moaned loudly, feeling his own pebble. 

“I felt you last night,” Barry whispered. “Touching yourself. Pleasuring yourself. Goddess, Len, I came so hard just from feeling you fuck yourself.”

Len leaped across the room and knocked Barry’s hand away. He slid his palm down Barry cock before wrapping his fingers around it. Barry bucked up into his grip, a wanton moan escaping his lips. “Mine,” he growled before lowering his head and licking the engorged head.

Barry looked at Len with desire and need. “Please,” he begged. “I need you, Len.”

“You have me, my love,” he promised before opening his mouth and swallowing Barry down to the base.


	6. To The Summerlands

Len sighed as Lisa eyed him with confusion. “What?” he finally asked.

“Just wondering why you’re still drinking cold blood when you have a perfectly good Omega in your bed,” she answered with a frown.

Len grabbed a second bottle and downed it before throwing both empty containers away. “Because I cannot drink from Barry,” he admitted.

“Why the fuck not?” she asked. “Please don’t tell me this is some puritanical bullshit about waiting until you’re fully bonded or some shit.”

Len dropped down into a chair and shook his head. “Barry and I will not be bonding.”

Lisa’s jaw dropped and her fangs popped. “WHAT?!” she shrieked. “But… but he’s your Intended! You said you have all the signs!”

“We do,” Len told her. “But it’s not that simple. Barry is the first Omega Lord in thousands of years, Lisa. This is something sacred to the Fae. He cannot bond to just anyone, under orders from his King. He has a duty to his people.”

“But he’s YOUR Intended!”

Len jumped to his feet, anger and pain flashing through his eyes. “I KNOW THAT!” he bellowed. “He knows that! But there is nothing we can do, Lisa! He is Promised! He has a command from his King! It is treason if he bonds with me!”

“Lenny...”

“Neither of us were alive during the War,” Len continued furiously, “but I remember the stories. I remember how, even after hundreds of years, our people were still rebuilding. Still recovering. And who would support us? Who would be willing to risk another war just for one bond?”

Lisa walked over and wrapped her arms around Len’s neck. For a second he tensed up before almost falling into her. “He should be mine,” Len whispered. “He should be my bonded, my Omega.”

“Len?”

Len and Lisa sprang apart as Barry hesitantly stepped into the office. Len flinched as tears spilled down Barry’s face. He glanced at Lisa briefly before moving to Len. “I can feel you,” he whispered sadly.

Lisa quietly left the office, closing the door behind her. Len pulled Barry to him, soaking in the warmth of his lover’s skin. Barry nuzzled Len’s neck before peppering Len’s skin with kisses. Len moaned softly, sliding his hands under Barry’s shirt and raked his nails down the Fae’s back. Barry shuddered and the world spun around them. Len gasped to find himself back in his bedroom, flat on his bed with Barry rising above him.

He gasped as Barry sank down on his shaft. He marveled at how perfectly they fit together. Barry threw his head back, hands braced behind him on Len’s thighs. Len reached up to grip Barry’s waist, guiding him to move slowly. 

_I love you, my Alpha._

Len closed his eyes briefly as he felt both ecstasy and heartbreak. _I love you, my Omega._

* * *

Each day was a fantastic dream where Barry walked through his mind with him. Every night was a glorious reality where he had his perfect mate by his side, in his arms. They talked and laughed and argued and loved. 

Len moved Barry, Caitlin and Sara from Queen’s territory into his. Queen had been a little reluctant to lose an asset like Barry, but he was happy enough to accept the payment of dragon’s blood that Mick offered up. 

Len had been shocked when Mick made the offer. Dragon’s were very prideful and hated giving up anything, especially their blood, scales or teeth. When he questioned Mick about it, the big man had shrugged and reminded Len that he had once fought a to-the-death battle just to free his beloved from her slavery to Amunet. 

Barry had yet to explain what blessing he had given Mick and Shawna, in gratitude, but Len was certain it would be incredible. 

For the first time in centuries Len found himself taking real pleasure in his existence. Every sunrise he and Barry would fall asleep and share dreams. Barry usually woke around midday and visited with the people in Len’s coven or spent time in the gardens. When he rose each night Barry would be beside him, smelling of sunshine and the snowy mountains. While Len handled paperwork or official business Barry would tell him how he spent his day. Then they would eat, often joined by Lisa, and either Sara or Caitlin. 

Sara was the more accepting of the two. She seemed to find Len amusing and his coven interesting. Barry said it was the adventurer-warrior in her. That she had often challenged the rules in the Summerlands, rebelling against the restraints placed on a Fae of childbearing age. Only the fact that she had bore two Alpha daughters and an Omega son allowed her the freedom to accompany Barry.

Caitlin was colder. She made it perfectly clear that she thought Barry could, and should, do better. That he should be preparing himself for his Promised. She had only made the journey because her own progeny was one of those vying for Barry’s hand. She had no love for vampires, having lived through the war, nor did she have much respect for any creature except her own kind.

Barry paid her little mind, often choosing to leave her at the estate while Sara and Mick accompanied them around Len’s domain. True to his word, Len walked with Barry along the streets, meeting strangers, danced with Barry and showed him whatever he wished. He introduced Barry to Axel, who was delighted to have someone who found his antics amusing. He arranged a meeting between Barry and a true oracle, who was even more in awe of Barry than he was of her. They spent hours picking apart old prophesies and lamenting the way humans mistook them both for witches or charlatans. On occasion Barry would spend time with Shawna while Len and Mick handled business, explaining Fae healing and teaching her how to create her own medicines.

And at the end of each night they fell into bed, clinging to one another, sharing kisses, touches and pleasure as if this would be their last time to do so. 

Because they were never sure they had a tomorrow. 

* * *

When Len opened his eyes, he knew immediately that something was wrong. His bed was empty and cold for the first time in months. Pain and grief encompassed him more swiftly than he anticipated. 

Alone.

He had almost forgotten what it was like to feel so alone.

So empty.

On the heels of the pain came a fiery rage.

Barry was HIS!

How dare someone take him away! 

He was going to rip apart both worlds!

“Steady, dead guy.”

Len’s fangs dropped and he spun quickly to hiss at the intruder. It took a moment to realize it was Sara in his room. She was sitting in an armchair, her silver knife laying on her lap, hands folded over it. 

“Attack and I’ll defend myself,” she warned. 

“Where is he?” Len snarled.

“Our King called him back,” she answered with a heavy sigh. “Midday today a portal opened and Barry and Caitlin were pulled in.”

“They dared kidnap my Intended?” he hissed.

Sara snorted. “Of course the King did. He’s our ruler. His is the ultimate authority for a Fae.”

Len struggled to control his fury. He needed a plan! He needed a way to retrieve his Omega! A thought flitted through his head and he grabbed on tight to it. “Why are you still here?” he demanded.

Sara sighed again and stood up. “Because I adore Barry. He gave me his trust, his friendship. He gave up a lot to protect me. That is a rare thing for a Fae. Most of us are too selfish to make ourselves vulnerable for others.” She stepped a bit closer so the lamp by the bed showed her expression clearly. “And because, without me, you’ll never reach the Summerlands.”

Len jerked in surprise. He was actually thinking of holding her hostage in return for Barry, yet here she was saying she was going to take him to the Fae home?

“What?” she jeered. “You think I want Barry shackled to one of those pretentious fucks who see him as nothing more than a baby factory or a battery? He’s my friend. The only one I have ever had. The only one I know who cares more for the person than for their abilities or station. You are his Alpha. More importantly, you are the one he loves. So, suit up, dead guy. I’m going to take you to the Summerlands and help you get him back.”


	7. Exile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sara and Len go to see the Queen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am very sorry it's taken me so long to post this chapter. My laptop died (sparks and a wisp of smoke, literally) and I'm having to rewrite everything. Luckily, I have a long standing habit of writing my stories out in notebooks before typing them up. I have six medium sized totes full of notebooks and random papers filled with notes and outlines. So, updates will be slow as I rewrite everything on my old computer and get it ready for posting. I'm just grateful I didn't lose everything (except a handful of photos and a couple of story ideas I had put on my laptop to explore later). Thank you to everyone who has been so very patient. I haven't abandoned this, I promise. It's complete, just in paper form at the moment.

Len has a fairly good idea of what the Summerlands would look like from Barry’s descriptions. Words could not have prepared him enough for how bright it was, though. The light of the Fae home was so bright, it washed out colors, muting them in a way. Everything seemed to glow from within, making him squint. Sara chuckled somewhere to his left and he turned toward her. She took his hand and placed something in it.

“These will help,” she promised.

Len lifted the item closer to his eyes and realized they were goggles. He pulled them over his head and adjusted the fit. The lenses were tinted, so they reduced the glare and gave everything a slightly blue cast. “Thank you,” he mumbled.

“You’re seeing the essence of our magic reflected from our bodies,” she explained. “Can you see the different colors?”

Len focused on a group a few feet away. Sure enough, some had a purple hue while others had a green, teal or dark blue. He wondered if the colors would be different without the goggles, but wasn’t going to blind himself to find out. “Yes.”

“Red essence for warriors, yellow for healers, green for educators and blue for caregivers,” she explained. It also answered his question about the goggles changing colors. 

Len looked at her and saw a vibrant purple color surrounding her. “What is Barry’s color?”

Sara gave a wide smile. “Barry is an Omega Lord. His inner light shines like a star. It is a pure, untinted light. Once he bonds, his light will take on the same hue as his bonded.”

A low growl escaped Len’s throat, unbidden. Sara rolled her eyes and began moving through the crowds. Len eyed the Fae around him, but they paid him no attention. It was, to be honest, eerie. “Do they not see me?” he asked warily, nodding to three maidens who seemed to look right through him.

“They see you,” Sara shrugged. “They just think you are beneath them.” 

Len’s fangs itched to drop but he held them back. If not for the fact that he was only here to claim his Omega, he would be tempted to teach these arrogant creatures how wrong they were. “So, what is the plan?” he asked, focusing his attention on his mission.

Sara led him closer to a large castle. “First, we have to get you an audience with the Queen.”

“Barry never talked much about your Queen.”

“Queen Zari holds little power over the throne,” Sara explained. “Her authority rests in a different area.”

“What area is that?” he asked, studying the walls that surrounded the castle carefully.

“Courting. Without her permission, no Fae may seek the hand of another,” she explained. 

“Barry said the Fae were not monogamous,” Len pointed out.

“Only under special circumstances,” she agreed. “We are obligated to breed, true, but in the last hundred years, the desperation to rebuild our race has eased a bit. Monogamy is not encouraged, but it is no longer openly objected to, either. There are 'unofficial' duties that must be fulfilled. Both should have at least five progeny, already. The more children, the more likely you will be given permission. Both must have compatible essences. We learned a long time ago that warriors are less likely to be impregnated by caretakers, while healers and caretakers often mate successfully. Warriors and educators mate fairly easily, as well. Lastly, the Queen insists each must be willing. Forced courting is frowned upon.”

“Does that happen often?” he asked, growing worried about Barry. Would he be forced to bond with someone he objected to? 

“It has happened in the past, but like I said, the Queen tries to make sure both are willing,” Sara answered, guiding him through an archway and into a courtyard. 

“So Barry...”

Sara sighed softly, shoulders tense. “An Omega Lord is an exception,” she admitted. “His feelings will not be taken into account by the King. The probability of being overthrown ensures that the King will give Barry to the one who presents the least threat to the throne while also securing his power structure.”

Len thought about what Barry had told him. “Because his gift is to increase his bonded’s powers,” he snarled, furious at this unknown monarch.

Sara nodded. “Our King is not a cruel man by nature,” she said firmly. “He seeks only to keep our people safe and healthy. However, he also needs strong supporters. Not everyone who would like to sit on the throne would be benevolent. Lady Cecile, for example, would love to bond with Barry. She is a warrior with the ability to read minds. She can know their attacks before they make them. With Barry to increase her strength, she could take over minds and force them to do as she wished. Lord Malcolm is a healer. Bonded to Barry, he could, in theory, heal the most grievous of wounds easily.”

Len paused when they reached a set of wide doors. “Does… Is there anyone Barry favors?” he asked hesitantly. 

Sara turned to face him fully and smiled surprisingly wistfully. “Yes. You.” She reached out and placed the tips of her fingers on his shoulder. “If he had any inclination toward any of our people, I would never have brought you here, Leonard.”

Len was stunned by the use of his name. Sara had never referred to him as anything but ‘dead guy’ until now.

“I am Fae,” she shrugged. “My duty, my loyalty, is to my own people, first and foremost. If Barry had ever shown even the tiniest interest in another Fae, I would encourage it. I am not blind or stupid. Barry loves you. He will never be happy with anyone else. My loyalty to my people is but a fraction of my loyalty to Barry. He gave me more than his friendship. He gave me freedom.”

Sara paused and fingered her knife hilt nervously. “I was to be bonded,” she admitted softly. “I wasn’t exactly eager, but I knew my duty. Hunter is a cold man, even among the Fae. He would have kept me breeding for the rest of my days. Barry bartered for my freedom. He promised to accept whichever petitioner our King chose if I was allowed to choose my own destiny.”

Len felt a swell of pride for Barry’s selflessness. It warred with the pain in his heart over Barry’s (and Sara’s) lack of independence. Len knew better than to offer comfort to the feisty Fae, so he redirected their conversation to allow her to put away her discomfort. “How can the Queen help us?”

Sara rallied in the face of the changed topic. “If we can convince her to let you petition for Barry’s hand, the King will have to consider you for Barry’s hand.”

“I’m not Fae. Why would she allow me to petition for Barry?”

“Any race can petition for a bond,” Sara answered, turning and knocking on the doors. “If they can reach the Summerlands and gain an audience with the Queen, that is.”

The doors swung open and Len found himself facing two tall, willowy women with dark green essences. For a moment, neither moved. Then they looked at Sara and gasped before surging forward and enveloping her in tight hugs. Len could swear he saw small fireworks going off in each spot they touched.

After a moment Sara pulled back and grinned. “Sisters, I come to beg for your help.”

“You need not beg,” one chided. “Tell us what you need.”

Sara motioned toward Len. “This is the Omega Lord’s Intended. We need to make him a petitioner.”

Both women stared at Len in shock for a long moment. “Oh, hell,” one of them muttered.

Sara tensed, which set off warnings in Len’s head. His fangs dropped involuntarily. “What has happened?” Sara demanded.

The two women looked at one another before turning back to them. The one on the right bit her bottom lip nervously. The one on the left sighed softly. “The Omega Lord was branded a traitor. He was exiled.”


	8. Searching

For a full minute Len’s world became a soundless, colorless, ice cold abyss. Only the shock of pain blooming across his cheek forced him out of his desolation. The pain hit a second time and he snarled, instinctively turning and clawing out at his attacker.

“Snart! Leonard! Dead guy!”

Len stilled, the words slowly trickling into his consciousness. Sara’s wrist was clasped tightly in his hands. Her palm was a little too red, like she had hit something. Oh. She must have slapped him. 

“You can’t fall apart now!” she hissed. She turned back to the two Fae. “Gideon, Kendra, you have to help us.”

Len drew in several unnecessary breaths, each a little less shaky than the previous. “Where is he?” he demanded.

The one on the right, Kendra, sighed softly. “We don’t know. Everyone was gathered to watch the Omega Lord bond with Lord Malcolm, but just before the ceremony began Lord Malcolm stepped forward and demanded a private audience with the King, the Queen and the Omega Lord. The next day King Eiling announced that there would be no bonding ceremony because the Omega Lord had betrayed the Fae.”

“Next day?” Len growled. “He was only summoned back a few hours ago!”

The two women looked at him with confusion but it was Sara who shook her head. “How long?” she asked wearily.

“It has been four rotations since he was exiled,” Gideon answered.

Sara turned to Len. “Time moves differently here. For us, it’s only been half a day. For Barry, it’s been at least four months.”

Len clenched his hands in fury. Four months? Barry had been alone for four months? “Where did he go? Where was he exiled?”

“The mountain,” Gideon said. “I can show you the path he took.”

Kendra looked at her sister worriedly. “If the King finds out we helped a traitor...”

“I can take him,” Sara said firmly. “I need both of you to work on getting us an audience with the Queen. When we return, we’ll need her to intervene and name Leonard the Omega Lord’s Intended. He will need permission to apply for a bond with Barry.”

“The King would never allow a traitor to bond,” Kendra protested.

“He might,” Gideon said carefully, eyeing Len, “if Leonard is the cause of the betrayal.”

“What is he accused of?” Len asked. Not that it mattered to him. He knew the person Barry was. He knew his lover would never betray anyone.

“He refused a direct order from the King,” Gideon answered. “He is with child and refused to name his defiler or to have the pregnancy ended when ordered to.”

* * *

The mountain was a polar opposite of the Summerlands. Where the home of the Fae was bright and warm, this place was cold and oppressive. The sky was obscured by tall, dark trees. The ground was hard and rocky. Len felt a heavy coil of anger for those who had sent his beloved here.

His pregnant beloved. Len’s mind was still reeling from that surprise. It wasn’t that he didn’t know he could impregnate someone. He had sperm, after all. He just… never considered that it would happen. After all, Barry was Fae and he was a vampire. Cross-species fertilization was incredibly rare. Even within his own species it was rare. A vampire’s body was not optimal for carrying a child. Too cold, too dormant. His mother had to undergo weeks of preparation, where she warmed her body and fed voraciously, to become fertile. Then she had to maintain those conditions throughout the pregnancy. Honestly, childbearing was just not something Len gave any thought to, at all.

“Exile does not mean the same for us as it would for you,” Sara explained as they followed a narrow path through the trees. “In your world it means leaving your home and never returning. It is a mark of lifelong shame. For us, it is more of a temporary journey. At the top of the mountain is a mystical well. The accused must travel there and seek forgiveness from the Goddess for their crime. If she forgives, she will return the exiled Fae to the Summerlands with a gift.”

“And if she doesn’t?” he growled.

“Rebirth,” Sara said gently. “The Fae’s essence will be drawn out of them and be reborn in another.”

Len’s pace immediately picked up. “How long does it take to get there?”

Sara hesitated and shook her head. “The journey usually only takes two weeks. He should have already returned or been reborn. Even those who are reborn come back quickly. Our children do not get their spark until birth. I’ve never known an exile to last more than a month.”

Len stopped walking and spun to face her, his eyes agonized. “What does it mean, then?”

“I can only think of two reasons Barry has not returned or been reborn,” she answered. “Either he never went, or he died before receiving forgiveness. When an exiled Fae dies, their essence is lost. They cannot be reborn is their essence is tarnished.”

“He never went to the well, then,” Len growled. “Barry is strong. He's smart. He is here, somewhere. We just have to find him.” He turned and began following the trail again. Barry was out here, all alone. Pregnant. With his child. He would find him or die trying. He refused to believe his lover was dead.

* * *

Len took several deep, unnecessary breaths as he tried to control his emotions. The longer they wandered these claustrophobic woods, the worse his stress level got. It had been eleven days since he last fed, his fears for Barry were almost overwhelming and his anxiety from being in a strange place without backup continued to grow. Sara had eyed him warily several times until he rolled his eyes and told her he could comfortably go up to five weeks without feeding and had done so many times before. 

“Could you feed from me without endangering me?” she asked carefully.

“I could,” he admitted. “I will not.”

Sara looked at him with curiosity. “Why not, if it is safe?”

“You are not Barry,” Len shrugged. “I have drunk only bottled blood since meeting him. I will not feed from anyone but my Intended.”

“Blood is blood,” Sara pointed out.

“Feeding is intimate,” Len explained. “Even without desire, it is a personal act. I would feel your emotions, your life force. I will have no one else in my head or heart but him.”

Sara gave a small smile and bumped his shoulder with hers. “For a dead guy, you’re not too bad.”

Len chuckled and bumped back. “For an arrogant Fae, you’re not too bad, either.”

“So it’s true. There’s a vamp in the Summerlands.”

At the sound of an unknown voice, Len’s fangs dropped and his hands curled into claws. Sara drew her knives and placed her back to Len’s, trusting him to guard her as she was guarding him. A rustle from the left had them both turning defensively. Len watched in horrified fascination as the thing stepped from the thicket and into view. 

It was only about three feet tall. It’s legs were stick thin, which made Len wonder how they held it up, considering how fat it’s belly was. The creature’s arms were abnormally long, the hands almost brushing the ground. It had a bulbous nose and bat-like ears on either side of a bald, wrinkled head. It’s eyes were tiny and black. It’s lower jaw protruded out, showing yellow, sharp teeth.

“What the bloody hell is that thing?” Len side whispered to Sara as she sheathed her knives again. She shushed him before stepping forward.

“I am Sara of royal guard of the Fae King. This is my companion, Leonard, Alpha of the Rogue Coven. We are searching for a friend.”

The ugly little beast snorted. “Yeah, yeah. I know. We all know. You’re not exactly stealthy, fairy. Keep it down. You’re disturbing the fauns and it’s birthing season. Got any idea how cranky they get when ya wake their foals? And don’t even get me started with the his stench. Every wendigo on this side o’ the mountain is in a frenzy! They can smell the death on him and it’s making ‘em hungry.”

Len growled under his breath but Sara shoved her elbow back into his chest to shut him up.

“We did not mean to upset anyone,” she replied. “Our friend has been missing for months. We need to find him. He is an Omega Fae and pregnant.”

The creature’s look immediately turned suspicious. “Now why would a Fae guard and an alpha vampire be searching for an exiled Omega Lord?”

“You know Barry?” Len demanded. “Where is he?”

The creature’s mouth widened, showing more teeth. “Why should I tell ya anything?”

Sara made a shushing motion to Len but he stepped around her, ignoring the warning. “He is my Intended. It is my child he carries. Please,” he said, his voice betraying his fears and worries. “I will give anything.”

Sara groaned and hung her head. The creature’s face lit up with greedy delight. “Anything?” it asked hopefully.

Len squared his shoulders. There was nothing he would not do or give to have Barry back safe. “Name your price.”


	9. Josh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning, there's a LOT of name calling in this chapter. And cussing. I'd apologize, but at best, it would be an insincere apology if not an outright lie. Frankly, I cuss quite a bit. I grew up in the mountains of Kentucky with moonshiners, rednecks and hillbillies (yep, there's a difference between those last two, trust me) and my vocabulary is littered with four letter words. So, if foul language upsets you, please be forewarned, this chapter will likely piss you off.

Josh. The hobgoblin’s name was Josh. Len wondered, briefly, if he was in some state of shock, since he was finding himself both fascinated and appalled that this ugly, mouthy, crude little creature had such an innocuous name. 

“I cannot believe you would agree to give a hobgoblin ‘anything’ they want!” Sara hissed from his left side. “You have no idea how sneaky these things are! Or vindictive!”

Len clenched his jaw as they followed Josh through the trees. There was no path under their feet, now. It would be all too easy to get lost if they didn’t keep focused. “He knows where my pregnant Omega is,” Len growled back at her. “Whatever he wants is worth me finding and saving Barry!”

“He’s a hobgoblin!” Sara whispered harshly. “The dregs of the Fae!”

“Says the uppity fairy bitch,” Josh called back at them in a calm voice. He stopped walking and turned to look at her with disdain. “Look, vamp, maybe we should lose the fuckin' dead weight. If the bint don’t wanna be here, send her ass back to her so-called King. She’s so cold, it’s making my danglies shrivel from way over here.”

Len really had to clench his jaw now. Not only was Josh mouthy, but his insults were reminiscent of Mick with a good drunk on. When he was certain he would not laugh, he gave Josh an unimpressed look. “She is my Omega’s friend. She has risked a lot to help me.”

“If’n she was Barry’s friend, she’d o’ stopped those sparkly titted gopher pricks from casting him out just cause he got a fucking mind o’ his own!” Josh argued.

“I wasn’t here!” Sara snapped. 

“Oh please,” Josh continued, calloused hands going to his hips. “Ya think cause I live here I don’t know shit? The Omega Lord or Lady is a blessing to ALL Fae! No matter what kinda Fae they be! But not to you lot. Oh, no! If’n it ain’t pretty, ya don’t care. So goddess-damn high an’ mighty! Ugh! Ya make me wanna puke me fuckin' liver out! When‘re ya gonna learn that beauty ain’t only long skanky hair and pink whore lips?”

“Look, you obnoxious little pissant,” Sara hissed, hand on the hilt of her dagger, “Dead guy may have made a deal with you, but I didn’t. I’m one second away from gutting you like an ugly little fish and leaving you for the vultures.”

“Try it, cuntface,” Josh growled. “I’ll skin you and use your ass cheeks as a hammock! I’ll not be done in by a pathetic piece of...”

“ENOUGH!” Len bellowed as he turned so he could see both of them easily. “Enough! I do not care about your hatred of one another. I do not care about your feelings. I only care about getting to Barry and making sure he is safe! So either stop fighting and help me or I’ll drain you both!”

Josh looked like he’d swallowed lemons… or rather like he’d swallowed more lemons, since he already had a sour face. Sara was as stiff and cold looking as an ice statue. At least they were quiet, though. After a few seconds Sara gave a quick nod. Josh huffed and began tromping through the trees again, muttering too low for them to hear. Len pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to remain rational and calm. 

* * *

The clearing was tiny, barely big enough for the shack, a stack of split logs and a water well. The moment it came into view Len was running forward. He reached the edge of the treeline only to be thrown back by some sort of invisible force. Josh snorted as he strolled forward and passed the barrier without pause. “Ya gotta be invited, numb nuts,” he explained. “So, welcome, vamp Leonard and bitch Sara. Ya may enter me home.”

Sara hissed but Len ignored her. He threw Josh a glare before racing to the shack and throwing the door open. He immediately stopped short, stunned by the interior. Len blinked twice before stepping back out the door and looking at the rotting wood walls and grass roof. He stepped forward again and stared at the splendor inside with amazement. 

The interior was huge and brightly lit. The floor was polished stone, shining like a pearl. The walls were covered in silk hangings, the spaces between the fabric showing beautiful dark wood. A fire crackled merrily in the stone fireplace. There were plush, overstuffed chairs facing it. Along the back wall were three doors, one blue, one red and one green. 

Len stepped into the middle of the room and cupped his hands over his mouth. “Barry!”

“Goddess, you’re a loud one,” a soft voice said. Len spun, only now noticing the other occupant. Having met Josh, it was obvious this was a female hobgoblin. She had the long limbs and stout stature, but she had curly black hair and her eyes were a warm brown. She was pretty, with more delicate, feminine features. Len started to ask her where Barry was, but then he noticed her smell.

An Omega. A very powerful Omega.

Len bowed at the waist respectfully. “Forgive me, my lady. I did not mean to offend you. I am searching for my Intended.”

The female giggled and scooted forward to drop off the seat of the chair. She gave a surprisingly graceful curtsy. “You must be Len,” she said. “I am Cynthia. Barry is resting, but if you would follow me, I will take you to him.”

“Please,” he said eagerly. 

Len paid no attention to Josh and Sara standing beside the open front door as he trailed after Cynthia. Once they had disappeared through the green door Sara turned to Josh in disbelief. “She… she’s...”

“My daughter,” Josh said proudly. “An Omega Lady.”

“How is that possible?” she gasped. “Why does no one know about her?”

Josh sneered at her fiercely. “Cause none o’ ya shitheads want to know about her! When she presented, we went to your so-called King. He threw me out o’ his palace and tried to imprison her! Claimed she was a damned curse! A blemish! As if anyone so pure, so good, could be anythin’ but a beautiful blessing.”

Sara shook her head. “That doesn’t make sense! An Omega Lord or Lady is to be celebrated! Honored! We would never harm her!”

Josh stared at Sara for a long moment before sighing heavily. “Maybe _you_ wouldn’t, but that ass-for-a-head King would. He’s done it b’fore. He and several o’ his prick nobles seized her and threw her into a fuckin' cell. Lucky fer me, fairies are an arrogant lot and they fergot about the gnomes. They created a tunnel for us and we rescued her. Since then, we ‘ave lived here, in seclusion.”

Sara dropped down onto one of chairs, her expression one of conflicted alarm. After several minutes she raised her eyes and looked at Josh carefully. “You said he’s done it before,” she prompted.

Josh huffed and perched on a stool. “Ignorant bitch. Did ya really think Barry is the first Omega Lord born in 2000 years? There are five that I know o' personally. ‘sides Cynthia and Barry, there were two born o’ the brownies and one o’ the fauns. Your stupid, knob faced King executed them, claiming t’was dark magic that made them false Omega Lords or Ladies. Only Barry met your King’s fucked up idea of purity. At least, ‘til he turned up with child. He's spent the last couple o' months attending each and ev'ry birth in the hopes that Barry’s spark 'ill be reborn. He intends to take possession o’ that babe immediately and raise him or her to fit the screwed up idea o’ perfection he holds.”

Sara was pale by the time he finished talking. “I… I can’t believe...”

“Can’t ya?” Josh asked. “Think o’ the changes that overblown donkey muncher has made. The way he has forbidden bonding ‘cept in extreme cases. The way he separates children from their families. Think o’ the things ya learned from your instructors. That without his strength that all o’ Fae woulda been destroyed. That you’re safer never leaving the Summerlands. That ya can't breed or bond outside your own classes. Do ya have any idea how hard it is for a Fae to breed with humans, vamps or shifters?”

Sara nodded. “It is a miracle Barry is with child.”

“Nonsense,” Josh argued. “The moment Barry laid with that vamp he was all knocked up. See, it ain’t hard. Not at all. We’re made to breed with our mates, regardless of species. The odds o’ bearing a child increases when ya mate with other species. Ya were taught that it was practically impossible because your King don’t want anyone having power. He don’t want other species bloodline mixed with his own. He turned ya into mindless drones and _ya thanked him for it_.”

Sara swallowed hard and tried to sort through the radical thoughts racing through her head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I modeled Josh's way of speaking after my oldest and most insane friend. 'Donkey muncher' and 'gopher prick' are two of his favorite go-to insults. No, he's not 7, he's 53. And a lawyer.


	10. Reunited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Len finally find his Intended.

The moment they stepped through the green door, Len felt a lurch in his stomach. Cynthia smiled up at him gently. 

“Tis’ a ward,” she explained. “A pregnant Fae often has trouble containing their magic. Normally their mate is there to keep them protected, but a lone Fae with child is vulnerable. Knowing the anger of the Fairy King, we thought it best to put up as many protections as possible.”

Len nodded, even as guilt washed through him. Barry was vulnerable because Len hadn’t been here. Because he hadn’t kept Barry safe. 

“Now, now,” she said, patting his hand. “None of that. Circumstances beyond your control or ability to guard against are to blame. Barry says you are the strongest man he has ever met. He knows you would have protected him if it were possible. Sometimes, Len, we are helpless to control the world around us. You just have to throw away the plan and come up with a new one.”

He sighed as they walked down the long, narrow hallway. “With Barry there is rarely a plan,” he admitted.

Cynthia giggled and shrugged one shoulder. “Plan by not planning.”

“A riddle?” Len asked.

She smiled teasingly. “What is it humans say? Expect the unexpected? You have a rare, powerful resource at your fingertips. Put your trust in Barry. He will strengthen you.”

“I don’t care about Barry’s powers,” Len objected. “I only care about him.”

She stopped walking and looked up at Len solemnly. “Then you have not learned who he truly is, yet. Barry is more than just a Fae or an Omega, Leonard Snart. He is Power. I am an Omega Lady. My magic will strengthen my mate once I find him. But it’s not just some battery to be wielded by another. Sure, I could make a teacher better at imparting wisdom or guiding others. I could make a warrior stronger in battle or more cunning. But to truly utilize my power, my mate would have to be a healer. My magics are best suited to someone who mends and heals. _That_ is their full potential.”

“And Barry’s powers?”

“He needs a warrior,” she answered. “His stubbornness, his drive, his rebelliousness. They all point toward his magics being based on conflict. He will increase your strength, your will. Once you bond fully, that is.”

“Apparently we need permission for that,” Len grumbled. “Permission that might not be forthcoming.”

Cynthia snorted and began walking again. “Are you really going to let some old fool dictate to you? Barry is already exiled. You are not Fae. Neither of you are bound by King Eiling’s laws.”

Hope unfurled in Len’s unbeating heart. She was right. Barry was not subject to his king’s rule anymore! He hurried after Cynthia, reaching her just as she reached a golden door.

“Past this door is a garden. You will find your Intended there,” she said with a soft smile. “And just so you know, the door locks from the other side. In case you don’t want any interruptions,” she teased with a wink.

Len grinned wickedly and reached out to push the door open. Time to claim his Omega.

* * *

For almost four hundred years he had walked the Earth. He had seen billions of people, in all species, of all genders, from all species. Never had he seen someone so beautiful as his mate rounded with child. Len had followed a small path through a grove of trees to a tiny clearing. The grass was lush and green, sprinkled with wildflowers. A gentle breeze spread the scent of the orange blossoms but it didn’t hide Barry’s scent. If anything, it enhanced it. Barry was propped up against a tree trunk, eyes closed and his hands laying over his slightly rounded stomach. A tiny bit of drool trickled to his chin, making Len smile. He was wearing a blue robe, his inner light sparkling like diamonds.

He silently crossed the clearing and carefully eased down so he was sitting beside Barry. He slid his arm behind Barry’s back and placed his other hand low on Barry’s belly, delighting in the gentle swell under his fingertips. Only a second passed before he felt a slight ripple. A child. His child. Their child. Len closed his eyes and tried his hardest to curb the urge to wake Barry and have him right then and there. 

“Len?” Barry’s voice was sleepy and confused. 

Len pulled Barry closer and kissed his brow. “I’m here, babe. I’m here.” Barry sobbed and twisted into Len, his hands coming up to twist in his shirt. Disjointed words broke up the ragged sobs that tore at Len’s still heart.

“… alone… scared… miss… tired… you… baby… home...”

Len rocked Barry gently, making shushing sounds. “I’m here, my Omega. I’m here. You’re not alone. God, I wish I had gotten here sooner. You’re so beautiful. I’m never leaving you alone again. You’re mine, Barry. My Omega. Bond with me, baby. Please, baby.”

Barry mewled and nuzzled at Len’s neck. “Please,” he whispered. “Need you. Want you. Love you.”

Len groaned and laid back, pulling Barry over him. He captured his mouth urgently, relishing the quick, intense response from his Omega. In no time at all Len had drawn Barry’s robe up to his waist so his fingers could tease his opening. Barry moaned loudly, pressing his hips down hard against Len’s growing erection. Suddenly Barry’s light flared brighter, almost blinding Len and he found himself completely naked with Barry beneath him. 

“Not a dream,” Barry gasped, raising his hips, seeking friction. “You’re really here.”

Len bent his head and kissed Barry deeply, his fingers moving back to test Barry’s entrance. He was relieved to find him stretched and wet, probably from the saliva coated fingers of Barry’s left hand. Len took himself in hand and guided his length slowly inside Barry. “I’m here,” he promised huskily. “Never letting you go, my love.”

For Len it had been less than two weeks since they last laid together but for Barry, it had been months. Neither man had the patience for slow. Len thrust deep and hard, urged on by the way Barry wrapped his legs around his waist and dug his heels into Len’s ass. Careful of the small mound now gracing Barry’s form, Len held him close and pressed his lips to Barry’s. Their tongues mimicked their hips, pushing against each other’s wildly. 

“Close,” Barry gasped. “Please, Len. Please! Drink!”

Len hesitated a moment, his thrusts slowing as he raised up to look at his lover. “Are you sure?” he asked.

Barry opened his eyes, lightning dancing across the irises. “I cannot do it,” he whispered. “I cannot be without you, Len. You are my mate, my Intended. My Alpha. I’ve died a little every day without you. Please,” he begged, “bond with me.”

Len growled and rolled them over so Barry was above him. He slid a hand to the back of Barry’s neck and tugged him down. He used a fingernail to cut into the skin over his collar for Barry to drink from. He maintained a gentler pace, licking across Barry’s pulse point a few times to make it rise before allowing his fans to drop. “My beloved,” he whispered. “My Intended. My Omega.” His fangs pierced Barry’s neck delicately as Barry latched onto the wound on Len. 

* * *

Len had suspected that drinking from his Intended would be more intense than drinking from a normal human. After all, Barry had powers of his own. He was also Len’s other half. He had assumed it would be erotic, heady, sensual, and likely even intoxicating. 

He felt as if his veins were on fire, but it was a welcome burn, racing through his body like mercury. His senses were sharpened and he swore he could taste his own life force. The fierce thudding in his ears was alarming until he realized he was hearing his own heartbeat.

_His heart beat!_

Len pressed a shaking hand to his own chest, blindly feeling his skin, skin that was warm, and counted each thump against his ribcage. 

Time felt as if it slowed and he shook uncontrollably, only the weight of his bonded mate keeping him grounded in the here and now. He was certain that if Barry moved he would float away.

“We are floating,” an amused voice whispered in his ear.

Len’s eyes popped open and immediately latched onto the brilliant emerald eyes above him. “What?”

Barry’s scarlet lips curled upwards and he sat up, still impaled on Len’s shaft. “We’re floating, my Alpha.”

Len forced his eyes to release Barry’s and he turned his head. His jaw dropped as he looked at the thick leaves covering the top of the tree beside them. He gripped Barry’s hips tighter and tilted his head back. Even looking at it upside down he recognized the narrow path that had led him to his mate. Only now, with his head at this angle, it appeared to be above him. 

“Ummm...”

Barry snickered, drawing Len’s attention back to him. “We’re not done, my Alpha,” he purred, shifting his hips. Len groaned, realizing he was still erect, despite the intensity of his orgasm. He finally noticed the two thin trails of blood leading from Barry’s neck down under his robes. He licked his lips, treasuring the lingering taste of Barry. He slid his hands under Barry’s ass and gave a cautious thrust. Even with no ground under him, he felt secure enough to give a second, harder one. 

Barry’s mouth dropped, his teeth stained with Len’s blood, and he moaned beautifully. “Please,” he begged. “More, Len.”

Len grinned, displaying his own bloody fangs. “As if I could say no to my mate.”

An inhuman glow entered Barry’s eyes again. “My mate,” he gasped, tightening his muscles in the hopes of more friction. 

Len put aside his alarm and surprise. His entire focus narrowed down to one thing. Barry.


	11. Promises Fulfilled

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who has commented. Thank you to everyone for your patience as I slowly retype everything out. Your support means so much to me!

Len smirked as Josh began to cackle the moment they entered the drawing room. Barry groaned with embarrassment as he hid his face in Len’s neck. Len rubbed his back with one hand and his stomach with the other. Cynthia took pity on Barry and drew him to the sofa, urging him to put his feet up.

Sara gasped and grabbed Len’s wrist. “You bonded?” she hissed. “Are you stupid! The King will kill you both!”

“Pfft, that dandified toe sucker ain’t got no rule here,” Josh argued. “Case ya forgot, Miss Frosty, the kid’s exiled. Banished. He don’t gotta follow those stupid rules anymore. He’s free to bond with the dead ‘un if he wants.”

“My father is correct,” Cynthia said calmly. “Barry is considered a non-being in the kingdom, now. By law, he cannot be given help, sanctuary or relief. Technically, we are criminals by helping him.”

Josh cleared his throat. “Which is where your promise comes in. Ya said ya would give me anything. I want ya to take Cynthia to your world and protect her.” Silence reigned for several seconds before Cynthia and Sara both began yelling.

“Father! No!”  
“That’s ridiculous!”

Josh grimaced as his daughter yelled. Len ignored Sara’s words, keeping his eyes on the hobgoblin.

“I’m not leaving you!” Cynthia cried, grabbing onto her father’s hand tightly.

“Impossible! Snart, you can’t!” Sara argued. “Hobgoblins are not allowed to leave the Summerlands!”

“ENOUGH!” Len’s fangs snapped down as he raised his voice above both women. He gave both of them a stern look before turning to Josh. He stared at the hobgoblin for a long moment before shaking his head.

“Ya gotta!” Josh snarled. “Ya promised! Shoulda known better than to trust a dead ‘un! Fucking lying, cold, dead, stupid, scum-headed bastard!”

Len rolled his eyes. “If I may?” he drawled.

Josh shot him a vicious glare, baring his teeth. Barry reached over and placed his hand on Josh’s forearm. “Please,” he said softly. “I promise all is well.”

Len moved around the couch to place a hand on Barry’s shoulder. “I will not take Cynthia to my world without you.”

Sara’s jaw dropped. So did Josh’s. Barry merely smiled calmly while Cynthia almost collapsed with relief. Barry reached out and guided her to sit beside him, clasping her hand in his, offering comfort. 

Len smiled at her fondly before turning back to Sara and Josh. “I make the same offer to you, Sara. A place in my home, my protection and the same freedoms I give my own coven.”

Josh dropped down onto an ottoman, looking stunned. “Ya… ya...”

Barry nodded with a smile. “Len is a strong and cunning Alpha,” he said proudly. “He has many races in his coven. Witches, dragons, even a poltergeist. You know the King will punish you if he ever finds Cynthia again, or if he realizes it was you who helped me. Please come with us, my friend. Do not make your daughter and I grieve.”

Josh shot Barry a fierce glare even as he reached over to pat Barry’s ankle. “You’re not so slick, ya heaping pile of glitter crap. I know what ya are doin’. Ya think ya can guilt talk me inta doin’ what ya want?”

Barry grinned widely. “Is it working?”

Josh huffed and looked up at his daughter who was crying softly. He gently wiped at the tears on her cheek and exhaled loudly. “Yeah,” he admitted. “It’s workin’. Guess I better pack, love.”

Len hid a smirk as Cynthia wrapped her arms tight around her father’s neck and sobbed with relief. After a couple of minutes Josh hurried from the room and Len turned to speak to Barry but froze when he saw the sorrow in his Omega’s eyes. Following Barry’s line of sight he tensed up. Sara was staring at Barry with anger.

“You are the Omega Lord!” she argued. “If you remain in exile, if you do not seek forgiveness, you will never be reborn! Your essence will be lost to the Fae!”

Barry stood and walked over to stand in front of Sara. Len tensed, preparing to defend his mate, but Cynthia slid over and gently patted his arm, giving a short shake of her head. He watched cautiously as Barry took Sara's hands in his. 

“What would you give to have Nyssa back?” he asked sadly. “What would you have done to stay by her side?”

Sara's eyes filled with tears, a wretched sob spilling from her lips. “Nyssa is exactly why you have to seek the Goddess. She died as an exile and is lost to us, to me, forever!”

Barry shook his head firmly. “I will not seek forgiveness for something I do not regret. I will not risk losing our child by being reborn. I will live this life to it's natural conclusion, with my Alpha and our children. And when I do die, I will not be reborn. I do not wish to be, Sara. Len is not Fae. He cannot be reborn. Another life, without him, would be torture for me. I will have a life with Len or I will have no life, at all.”

Len swallowed and stood, his heart and mind burning with tumultuous emotions. He wrapped his arms around Barry from behind, pressing his face between Barry's shoulders. “I would have no other life than this. I would have no other bond than this,” he whispered. He took an unnecessary breath and spoke the pledge of his race.

“My fangs are yours, my Omega. Your blood is mine, my Omega. I take you into my safekeeping. My strength, my will and my power will be dedicated to you. Now and forever we are one.”

Barry turned in his arms and pressed gentle kisses to Len's lips. “My life is your life,” he pledged happily. “Your will is my will. I give myself into your keeping, my Intended, my Bonded, my Alpha.”

Len shivered as sparks flickered across his skin. He heard a couple of gasps, but he was too focused on the absolute joy enveloping him and Barry. He captured Barry's lips for a deep kiss and relished the steady thumping of both their hearts beating in tandem. 

“No screwin' where my eyes can see it,” Josh grumbled, walking back into the room, a valise in each hand. “Ain't got no urge to see either of ya asses!”

Barry snickered as he pulled away from Len. “I'm hungry.”

Sara looked from Barry to Len to Cynthia, then back to Barry. She shook her head solemnly. “I can't,” she said weakly. “I… All I know, all I am, is Fae. My family, my children... I can't turn my back on that.”

Barry stepped away from Len and pressed his forehead to Sara's. “Fare thee well, my friend,” he whispered. “I will keep you in my memories and speak you name with reverence.”

A single tear spilled down Sara's cheek as she closed her eyes. “Fare thee well, my friend. I will keep you in my memories and speak your name with reverence.”

Sara stepped back and took a deep breath. Her eyes were filled with sorrow as she opened up a portal in the middle of the room. “Go,” she said firmly, “before I remember my duty to the King and kin. If you ever return...”

“I won't,” Barry vowed firmly. “There is nothing for me here. But I do ask one boon before I go.”

“What is it?” she asked.

“Do not let other Lords and Ladies fade,” Barry demanded. “Seek them out and train them. Remind the rest of Fae that all Fae are worthy.”

A faint smile tipped up the corners of her mouth. “I will,” she promised.

Barry smiled and grabbed Len's hand in his right and Cynthia's hand in his left. Her left hand cling to Josh tightly. Together, they stepped through the portal, leaving the Summerlands behind.


	12. Forever

“Goddess-dammit! Are ya tryin' ta give me a heart attack, ya cold blooded wanker!”

Barry snickered as he watched Josh shake a clenched fist at Mick who was swooping overhead in low circles. The dragon's wings flapped lazily as he did a barrel roll, resulting in loud shrieking laughs from the tiny little dragons clutching tightly to his neck and back. Beside him, Len chuckled before popping off the cap on a bottle of beer and pressing it into Josh's side. The hobgoblin snatched it from Len and guzzled half of it before plopping back into his seat. 

“If'n I'd known five years ago ya had uppity dragons and their hatchlings around, I'da thought twice 'fore comin' here,” Josh grumbled, ignoring the way Cynthia giggled from his other side.

“If you had done that, I would never have found my mate,” the Omega Lady pointed out as she rubbed her rounded belly. “Nor would you be expecting your first grandchild.”

“Mate,” Josh scoffed. “A human wizard. Ya coulda done better.”

“He is my mate,” Cynthia said placidly. “I would have no other. You just don't like that Mark isn't scared of you.”

“I don' like that we barely got settled 'fore he was sniffin' around, braggin' 'bout his psychology degree and offerin' his hooty-tooty counselin',” Josh retorted. “An' the bloody knobhead kept scarin' off anyone else.” Josh crossed his arms stubbornly. “Plus. me grandchild is gonna hafta wear asbestos diapers cause o' the lizard infestation.”

Len raised one eyebrow at Barry before responding. “I had no idea Mick and Shawna were expecting when I offered,” he pointed out. “Someone didn't think it pertinent to explain what blessing he had given my second in command.”

Barry rolled his eyes at the half-hearted accusation he had heard many times over the past five years and scooted closer so he could cuddle into Len's side. “I told you I honestly didn't know,” he reminded Len. “I simply blessed them with the fulfillment of a wish. Besides, you both love the babies.”

“Eight, Barry,” Len pointed out. “I now have eight dragons roaming around. Seven of which have no control over their flames.”

“There are fire extinguishers in every room,” Cynthia pointed out, “and Lisa's boyfriend made you that nifty gun.”

“They's a damn hazard,” Josh grumbled, watching Mick finally land several yards away. Seconds later the tiny dragons had shape-shifted back into human form (although little Tessa still had golden horn peeking from her curls) and were running toward them. Josh downed the rest of his drink before pretending to pout while standing so they could tackle him to the ground. Their excited squeals were overlapped by Josh's fake grumbles.

Len turned his head to press a light kiss to his Omega's hair. A streak of lightning dashed past them and circled Mick a couple of times before the dragon lazily swiped out a wing and knocked over the four and a half year old. Len watched tenderly as his daughter giggled and rolled across the lawn, her chestnut hair picking up small blades of grass and twigs. The moonlight made her bright blue eyes glow like crystals and her two elongated eye teeth shone like pearls. 

Half fae and half vampire and all Alpha, Allysa was a force to be reckoned with, even at such a young age. She had Barry's adventurous spirit and Len's stubborn nature. She also had Barry's speed, which made it rather difficult to keep up with her, sometimes, as evidenced by how out of breath Cisco was when he finally stumbled into view, having chased her this far. Barry snickered as Cisco collapsed on the ground in front of them. He turned judgmental eyes on them as he sucked in large quantities of air. 

Lisa wasn't too far behind, looking less tired since she didn't need oxygen. Instead she looked even more judgmental than her boyfriend did. She stood beside Cisco's prone form, hands on her hips as she glared down at them. 

“She drew stick figures on my new jacket. In gold Sharpie.”

“You like gold,” Len pointed out dryly.

“Not on a $2200 leather jacket, custom made,” Lisa hissed.

“Who gave her the Sharpie?” asked Barry.

“Guess,” Cisco wheezed. 

“Axel,” Len suggested correctly.

Barry tried to hide his amusement, but no one was fooled. He cleared his throat and dragged a hand through his hair. “I have some good news,” he offered. “At least, I think it's good news.”

“What is it, my love?” Len asked, turning to nuzzle Barry's neck. 

Barry grinned widely and lifted Len's right hand, then gently placed it on his stomach. “Cynthia isn't the only one expecting.”

Len stilled, his mind going absolutely blank for several seconds. Vaguely he heard his family and friends offering congratulations but all he could do was stare down at his hand. His hand, under which rested Barry's womb. The womb that had given him his precocious, beautiful, vibrant daughter. The womb that now contained the vulnerable body of his second child. A second child. Male? Female? Did it even matter? They were having another child. And this time, he would be there for each and every day (or rather, night) of it. A soft hand cupped his cheek and his eyes immediately went to Barry's. He swallowed convulsively at the bright love in his Omega's eyes. 

“Len?” Barry whispered gently, smiling happily.

Len quickly pulled Barry onto his lap and wasted no time in sinking his teeth into the enticing vein in Barry's neck. Hot blood washed over his tongue and slid smoothly down his throat. Maybe to someone who didn't understand vampires, it would look like aggression, but in reality, feeding from his bonded was a supplication for Len. It was a reminder that Barry was his life, his survival, his everything. He reached up with his free hand and cut a small slice on his own shoulder before pressing Barry's mouth to the wound. That first small suckle was always intensely emotional for Len. His heart gave a few steady thumps, as it always did when they fed from one another. It was a reaffirmation that he belonged to Barry and Barry belonged to him. It strengthened their bond, physically and emotionally.

_I love you, my Omega._

_I love you, my Alpha._

_A child, love. You have given me so much and now you give me more._

_I give you what you give me,_ Barry whispered back, mentally. _Everything._

“Great,” Josh grumbled, a hint of delight in his tone. “Ain't it bad 'nough I already got the dragon spawn and one little ankle biter?”

“You do have two ankles,” Cisco pointed out cheerfully.

Len chuckled as Josh flung himself at Cisco and the two grappled playfully for a few seconds before Allysa and Mick's brood joined in. Soon the air was filled with shrieks and giggles. Len resettled Barry on his lap sideways so he could hold him close. For a being without a consistent heartbeat, Len loved how Barry could make him feel so alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not completely happy with the ending. I feel like I should have fleshed it out a bit more, but every change I made was bland or made me cringe. I do hope you have all enjoyed the story. I really enjoyed writing it, especially Josh.


End file.
